the best laid plans
by amillionsmiles
Summary: ...are made lying on a picnic blanket in the middle of the night. Or: That One Date With the Spirit Vines. / Kai&Jinora, oneshot.


**A/N: **wanted to write a little something for my kiddos after the finale. :)

* * *

><p>The way Kai sees it, this could either end in disaster or success.<p>

Right now, he's holding out for the latter.

Above him, Jinora stands at the lip of the crater carved out by Korra's creation of the spirit portal. With a tilt of her head, she snaps open her wings; Kai watches her glide above him before following suit. The two of them land on the mossy ground, spirit vines squelching softly underfoot. The open spirit portal pulses with a warm glow, throwing a yellow light over the side of Jinora's face as she turns, asking, "So, what's the plan?"

Kai shrugs. "I thought we could explore a little. Like old times." His stomach rumbles loudly, and he adds, "And eat," flashing an embarrassed smile and holding up a picnic basket.

Jinora laughs, and Kai lets the sound wash over him. It's been too long since he last heard it, what with taking down Kuvira's giant metal suit and all the hectic plans that have developed over the last few days.

But now it's just him, Jinora, and the spirits.

"Let's go," agrees Jinora, reaching for his free hand.

o.O.o

The area around the spirit portal reminds Kai of a playground, now that the urgency of finding Korra no longer hovers over their heads. Twisted metal parts jut out from the coiled vines, and one scrap imbedded in the wall forms a comfortable platform. He and Jinora duck into the shell of the colossus, careful to avoid the warped railings, and Kai tugs Jinora to a stop, pointing upwards.

"Look," he says, indicating the glass ceiling that has managed—miraculously—to remain mostly intact. "You can see the sky."

"We should bring Ikki and Meelo next time," says Jinora. "They'd love this."

"Our very own clubhouse," Kai agrees, letting go of Jinora's hand to crouch before a loose sheet of metal. He wiggles it before planting his feet and pulling it free; it tears away with a loud clang, and Kai ends up holding a smooth rectangle that's almost as tall as he is.

He gestures to it proudly and raises his eyebrows at Jinora, grinning. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

o.O.o

"Ready?" Jinora murmurs in his ear, one arm wrapped around his waist.

"Whenever you are," says Kai, bristling with anticipation.

Behind him, Jinora sets off one well-directed blast of air. They start forward, and Kai's stomach lurches as they hang suspended, for a moment, over the ledge, before gravity takes over.

"_Yes!"_ hollers Kai as they speed downward, his fingers digging into the sides of their makeshift sled. The slippery vines beneath them make a sloughing sound as the metal skims over their top. Jinora's chin digs into Kai's back as she holds him tighter, and Kai pumps one fist in the air before quickly returning his hands to their original position so as not to throw off their balance. His eyes water a bit from the wind rushing by, and, as the sunken face of the colossus looms closer, he hears Jinora shout, "Now, Kai!"

In the maneuver that they'd agreed upon before, Kai shoots a gust of wind in front of them to act as an air cushion and slow their approach. Meanwhile, Jinora generates a miniature cyclone, whirling them around so that they spin in place. The grove revolves around Kai, streaked green and yellow and brown and white, and when they finally stop rotating, he sprawls out on the ground, head pounding from adrenaline and vertigo.

"I'm dizzy," mumbles Jinora, breathless, collapsing beside him.

"That was fun," Kai manages, once he's collected his thoughts. He sits back up, putting a hand to the side of his head to steady himself, before shooting Jinora a sly grin. "Ready to go again?"

Out of nowhere, his stomach grumbles, sounding a lot like a tigerdillo's roar.

Jinora smirks. "Maybe _after_ we've had something to eat."

o.O.o

"I spy with my little eye something…purple."

"Ooh! One of those spirit thingies."

"Kai, they're _all_ spirit thingies," says Jinora.

"Fine," retorts Kai, lips pulling into a pout. "That one over there that looks like a jellyfish."

"Mhmm," hums Jinora, wiggling closer. "Your turn."

They're lying next to each other on the picnic blanket, heads bent close as they stare up at the sky. The contents of the picnic basket have long since been emptied—Kai's pretty sure that his breath smells like cabbages, but Jinora doesn't seem to mind. He props himself up on one elbow, silently tracing the blue arrow on her forehead.

Jinora wrinkles her nose at him goodnaturedly. "What?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head slightly. "Just…I missed this."

Jinora's eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Being together," clarifies Kai.

"But you've been back for weeks."

"Yeah, but we didn't have any time to just hang out since Kuvira's army was…you know. I mean, when's the last time we went on a date?"

Jinora tugs her lips between her teeth, pondering. "Never, actually."

Kai blinks. "What? That's not true."

"Hanging out on the roof of the air temples doesn't count, Kai," says Jinora, reaching up to shove his shoulder lightly, her brown eyes sparkling.

"All right, then," says Kai, clearing his throat. He can work with this. "In that case, I guess this is our first date." He wiggles his eyebrows.

Jinora snorts and rolls her eyes, but says, fondly, "This was a good idea."

"I'm always full of good ideas," replies Kai, lying back down. He's never been much of a planner, but ideas are flying through his head, zipping like hummingbirds, all the things he and Jinora can do now that they finally have _time._ After a while, he blurts, "Let's go to the zoo next."

"And then we could see a mover," Jinora adds on.

"Or go for a walk in the park."

"Watch a probending match."

Kai glances at her sideways. "_You_ want to see a probending match?"

"Why not?" shrugs Jinora. "It'll be exciting."

"Sure," says Kai, contemplating, before nodding vigorously. "Yeah, why not."

While Kai stares up at the sky, Jinora curls closer, winding her pinky finger around his and shifting on her side to press a kiss to his cheek. "Sounds like a plan," she whispers, voice soft and edged with the first signs of sleep.

Overhead, the spirits flicker, dancing against a backdrop of stars, and the steady pulse of the spirit portal is reminiscent of the one Kai feels in his own chest, the _beatbeatbeat_ of his heart as Jinora's breath tickles the side of his neck.

And Kai thinks: _success._


End file.
